Insurance & Protection
How Insurance Works
When Movers Carry Your Stuff.
Three levels of coverage, one straight answer for each. No legalese — just what's covered, what isn't, and what to do if something goes wrong.
The Texas Floor
Every Licensed Texas
Mover Carries This.
By Texas law, every licensed moving company — including us, TXDMV #006451685C — automatically carries the state's standard valuation. It's called Released Value Protection, and it pays out 60 cents per pound, per item, regardless of what the item is worth.
That's the floor. It's free, it's automatic, and it's not enough on its own for valuable furniture. Most customers want to understand the floor first — then decide whether to buy up.
per pound, per item
Why It Exists
Why $0.60 Per Pound?
Texas law sets $0.60/lb as the absolute minimum level of liability a moving company can carry to legally operate within the state. Adopted from decades-old federal transit standards, it was never designed to cover the actual cost of replacing your furniture — it serves as a bare-minimum legal baseline to protect consumers from unlicensed movers who would otherwise carry no liability at all.
If you're moving anything valuable, you'll want to layer something on top of it. The next section walks through your options.
Your Options
Three Levels of Coverage
Start with the free baseline. Add more if your stuff is worth more.
Level 1 — What We Carry
Released Value Protection
The Texas state minimum, included free on every move. Every TXDMV-licensed mover carries it. The payout is calculated by weight, not by what the item is actually worth.
Example payout
100-lb couch destroyed → $60 payout (100 × $0.60).
Level 2 — Industry Option (Not Offered Here)
Full Value Protection
An industry add-on some movers sell. It typically pays out at ten times the Released Value rate — roughly $6 per pound. Better than the floor, but for valuable furniture it still falls short. We don't currently offer this tier.
Example payout
100-lb couch destroyed under industry FVP → $600 payout. A $2,000 sectional still leaves you short.
Level 3 — What We Recommend for Valuables
Third-Party Insurance
Bought through your homeowners/renters policy or a moving-specific insurer. You set the declared value and the deductible. This is the route we point customers toward for anything truly valuable — art, antiques, heirlooms, electronics.
Example payout
$8,000 painting damaged → claim filed with your insurer at full declared value.
Coverage Side-by-Side
| Released Value | Full Value Protection | Third-Party Insurance | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free — included by law | Premium charged by movers that offer it | Premium paid to outside insurer |
| Offered by The 150 Movers | Yes — automatic | No — not currently | You arrange it directly |
| How Payouts Are Calculated | $0.60 per pound, per item | ~$6 per pound (industry standard 10× RV) | Per policy — usually declared value minus deductible |
| Best For | Routine furniture & low-risk moves | A modest step up — but rarely full coverage | Anyone moving genuinely valuable items |
| How to Activate | Automatic | Declared in writing where offered | Call your insurer 1–2 weeks ahead |
Not sure which level fits your move? Call us — we'll tell you straight up.
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The Honest Breakdown
What's Covered. What Isn't.
What We're Responsible For
- Improper handling by our crew
- Items we packed that arrive damaged
- Damage to walls, floors, doorways, or railings caused by us
- Negligence on our end — drops, mishandled equipment, careless loading
What Falls Outside Coverage
- Acts of nature — hurricanes, floods, tornadoes
- Pre-existing damage you didn't flag at pickup
- Customer-packed boxes with no visible external damage
- High-value items not declared in writing before the move
- Normal wear from disassembly and reassembly
If Something Goes Wrong
How to File a Claim
Our damage rate is extremely low — but if something happens, here's exactly what we do.
Texas Claim Deadlines
For local Texas moves, you have 90 days to file a claim. For interstate moves, federal rules give you 9 months. We acknowledge claims within 30 days and resolve them within 90 days.
If you can't reach resolution with us, you can file a complaint with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles — they regulate every licensed mover in the state and have an enforcement division specifically for this.
Before Move Day
How to Protect Your Stuff
The best claim is the one you never have to file. Six things that make a real difference.
Let us pack the fragile stuff
Customer-packed boxes have limited coverage — if there's no visible external damage, internal damage isn't our responsibility. We pack to a documented standard, which means it's on us if it breaks.
Declare anything over $100 per pound in writing
Art, jewelry, electronics, designer goods, heirlooms. Items of "extraordinary value" need to be listed on the bill of lading before move day — otherwise coverage is capped.
Don't put cash, passports, or jewelry in random boxes
Anything truly irreplaceable should travel with you, not on the truck. Pack a small "essentials" bag for documents and valuables and keep it in your car.
Photograph high-value items before move day
Timestamped phone photos from multiple angles. Capture pre-existing scratches, dings, or wear. Before-photos are gold if you ever need to file a claim.
Keep an inventory list
A simple list of major items and box counts. Helps confirm nothing was left behind and gives you a paper trail if anything is lost or damaged in transit.
Walk both addresses with the crew lead
Before loading and again after unloading. Two minutes that catches damage to walls, floors, or railings while we're still on site — and removes any "who did that?" debate later.
A Word on Customer-Packed Boxes
This is where most damage disputes happen. If you pack the box and the outside arrives undamaged, we have no way to prove that what's inside was packed safely. The plates inside a customer-packed kitchen box that arrives without a dent on the outside aren't typically covered.
If we pack it, we own it. If you want to pack the easy stuff yourself (clothes, books, linens) and have us handle the fragile items — kitchens, electronics, artwork, mirrors — that's usually the best balance of cost and coverage. Just ask when you book.
Licensed. Insured. Houston.
Move With a Crew That Stands Behind Its Work.
TXDMV licensed, fully insured, BBB A+. Seventeen years of Houston moves and a damage rate we're proud of.
Licensed & Insured · TxDMV #006451685C · BBB A+ Rated